Maestro (Kaizers Orchestra album)
Encyclopedia
Maestro is the third studio album by Norwegian
alternative
rock group
Kaizers Orchestra
, released on August 15, 2005. It was later released as a 2CD Limited Edition with bonus tracks and videos.
Like the two previous albums, the lyrics on the compositions are stories that are all related somehow to the theme of the album, this time in a post-war mental hospital owned by a man called Dieter Meyer.
. Being a song about a man who willingly commits himself to a mental asylum, Ottesen decided to set the tone for the overall theme of the album. In January 2004, a 30-track demo was recorded, which the band pitched to various record labels. They eventually landed a contract with Universal Germany
.
On February 27, 2004, during a concert at the Rockefeller concert hall in Oslo, a new song called "Medisin og psykiatri" was played. Also, the song "Tokyo Ice til Clementine" was played once at an acoustic session for the Dutch Pinkpop Festival. Later in 2004, two more new songs, "Delikatessen" and "Maestro" were played at a German
musical event called "Eine Nacht in Bochum". The event was broadcasted on the German radio station Radio Eins. "Medisin og psykiatri" was eventually scrapped both from setlists and the album.
The first single, "Maestro", was changed from its original version to a more hit-friendly style after pressure from Universal. A video for "Maestro" was also recorded in Germany. Before releasing the album, now officially named Maestro, Kaizers released an EP with the same name, featuring the single, the album track "På ditt skift" and two b-sides; "D-dagen" and "Sorti", as well as the "Maestro" video. The release garnered much critical praise and helped to build expectations for the new release.
Maestro was finally released on August 15, 2005, and the record received outstanding reviews from most of the larger newspapers in Norway as well as Scandinavia
and other European countries. Shortly thereafter, the Maestro Tour, spanning most of central Europe
and later Scandinavia
, commenced. At the end of the tour, on October 5 and October 6, the band performed two sold out shows two nights in a row at the famous Vega concert hall in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. The last performance was recorded for a future live DVD and album, Viva La Vega
and Live at Vega
, respectively.
After some time, a 2CD Limited Edition of Maestro was released, featuring a bonus CD featuring three previously unreleased tracks. This Limited Edition reissue was originally intended to be recalled after the end of their tour, but can still be found in music retailers to this day.
. Lyrics and music by Janove Ottesen
, unless otherwise noted.
Also featured on the second disc of the Limited Edition are the music videos for "Maestro" and "Knekker Deg til Sist", along with the "Kaizers Orchestra Player", a custom-built music player with downloadable content available.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
rock group
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
Kaizers Orchestra
Kaizers Orchestra
Kaizers Orchestra is a Norwegian alternative rock group formed on January 1, 2000. The two leading members, vocalist Janove Ottesen and guitarist Geir Zahl, had known each other for years, and first played together in a band called Blod, Snått & Juling in 1989.Kaizers Orchestra are notable for...
, released on August 15, 2005. It was later released as a 2CD Limited Edition with bonus tracks and videos.
Like the two previous albums, the lyrics on the compositions are stories that are all related somehow to the theme of the album, this time in a post-war mental hospital owned by a man called Dieter Meyer.
History
The first song that was written for the then-untitled third album, "Dieter Meyers Inst.", frontman Janove Ottesen wrote on the pump organ in Café Mono, OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Being a song about a man who willingly commits himself to a mental asylum, Ottesen decided to set the tone for the overall theme of the album. In January 2004, a 30-track demo was recorded, which the band pitched to various record labels. They eventually landed a contract with Universal Germany
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
.
On February 27, 2004, during a concert at the Rockefeller concert hall in Oslo, a new song called "Medisin og psykiatri" was played. Also, the song "Tokyo Ice til Clementine" was played once at an acoustic session for the Dutch Pinkpop Festival. Later in 2004, two more new songs, "Delikatessen" and "Maestro" were played at a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
musical event called "Eine Nacht in Bochum". The event was broadcasted on the German radio station Radio Eins. "Medisin og psykiatri" was eventually scrapped both from setlists and the album.
The first single, "Maestro", was changed from its original version to a more hit-friendly style after pressure from Universal. A video for "Maestro" was also recorded in Germany. Before releasing the album, now officially named Maestro, Kaizers released an EP with the same name, featuring the single, the album track "På ditt skift" and two b-sides; "D-dagen" and "Sorti", as well as the "Maestro" video. The release garnered much critical praise and helped to build expectations for the new release.
Maestro was finally released on August 15, 2005, and the record received outstanding reviews from most of the larger newspapers in Norway as well as Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and other European countries. Shortly thereafter, the Maestro Tour, spanning most of central Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and later Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, commenced. At the end of the tour, on October 5 and October 6, the band performed two sold out shows two nights in a row at the famous Vega concert hall in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The last performance was recorded for a future live DVD and album, Viva La Vega
Viva La Vega
Viva La Vega is a Live DVD featuring the Norwegian alternative rock band Kaizers Orchestra produced by the Norwegian company Amazon Film. It features their concert at Vega in Copenhagen, Denmark on 6 October 2005, as well as documentaries, music videos, a biography, and stills...
and Live at Vega
Live at Vega
Live at Vega is a two-disc live album released by Norwegian alternative rock group Kaizers Orchestra, on March 6, 2006. It features their recorded concert performance at Vega, a concert hall in Copenhagen, Denmark, on October 6, 2005...
, respectively.
After some time, a 2CD Limited Edition of Maestro was released, featuring a bonus CD featuring three previously unreleased tracks. This Limited Edition reissue was originally intended to be recalled after the end of their tour, but can still be found in music retailers to this day.
Track listing
Lyrics for all songs are in the Norwegian languageNorwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
. Lyrics and music by Janove Ottesen
Janove Ottesen
Janove Ottesen is a Norwegian musician, born at Bryne, Rogaland, Norway. He specializes in vocals, guitar and barrels, and is a leading member of the Norwegian band Kaizers Orchestra.-History:...
, unless otherwise noted.
- "KGB"
- "Maestro"
- "Knekker deg til sist" (Break You in the End)
- "Señor Flamingos Adieu" (Instrumental)
- "Blitzregn baby" (Blitz Rain baby)
- "Dieter Meyers Inst." (Dieter Meyer's Institution)
- "Christiania"
- "Delikatessen" (The Delicatesse)
- "Jævel av en tango" (Hell of a tango)
- "Papa har lov" (Papa Has Permission) (Geir ZahlGeir ZahlGeir Zahl is a Norwegian musician. He is known for playing guitar in the Norwegian rock group Kaizers Orchestra. The band was founded by Geir Zahl and Janove Ottesen who had both played together in some other bands, namely Blod, snått & juling and gnom...
) - "Auksjon (i Dieter Meyers hall)" (Auction [In Dieter Meyer's Hall]) (Zahl)
- "På ditt skift" (On Your Shift)
Bonus tracks (Limited edition bonus CD)
- "Action" (Joachim NielsenJoachim NielsenJoachim Nielsen , better known as Jokke, was a Norwegian rock musician and poet. He was the frontman of Norwegian rock band Jokke & Valentinerne, the brother of cartoonist Christopher Nielsen, and son of the artist John David Nielsen...
) - "Kalifornia" (Zahl)
- "Tokyo Ice til Clementine" (Tokyo Ice for Clementine)
Also featured on the second disc of the Limited Edition are the music videos for "Maestro" and "Knekker Deg til Sist", along with the "Kaizers Orchestra Player", a custom-built music player with downloadable content available.
Personnel
- Janove OttesenJanove OttesenJanove Ottesen is a Norwegian musician, born at Bryne, Rogaland, Norway. He specializes in vocals, guitar and barrels, and is a leading member of the Norwegian band Kaizers Orchestra.-History:...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Geir ZahlGeir ZahlGeir Zahl is a Norwegian musician. He is known for playing guitar in the Norwegian rock group Kaizers Orchestra. The band was founded by Geir Zahl and Janove Ottesen who had both played together in some other bands, namely Blod, snått & juling and gnom...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Terje Winterstø RøthingTerje Winterstø RøthingTerje Winterstø Røthing is a Norwegian musician, playing guitar in two rock bands.Terje joined a band named Kaizers Orchestra a little while after the band started in 2000, but he had also participated on the projects the different bandmembers had before those times...
- guitar - Øyvind Storesund - double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
- Rune Solheim - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Helge Risa - pump organ
- Jørgen Træen — producer, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Bjørn Engelman - mastering
- Paal Audestad — photography
- Atle Øksendal — design
- Gosu Design — design
Guest musicians
- Trifon Trifonov — Saxophone (1, 2)
- Filip Ankov Simeonov — Clarinet (2, 6, 8), Trumpet (2, 6, 8)
- Øyvind Husebø — Trumpet (2, 10)
- Stian Carstensen — Accordion (6, 9), Banjo (9)
- Rebecca Cherry — Violin (6)
- Chiori Suzuki — Violin (6)
- Berend Mulder — Viola (6)
- Siri Hilmen — Cello (6)
- Martin Holmes — Backing Vocals (9)
- Tor Erik Hellesen — Trombone (10)
- Gunnar Hågbo — Saxophone (10)